This is an archive article published on December 23, 2021
With eye on Omicron, Centre tells states going for polls to ramp up vaccination
On Thursday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, during the review meeting with all states, also raised a red flag that pockets with low vaccination coverage may be more vulnerable to the new Omicron variant.
New Delhi | Updated: December 23, 2021 10:49 PM IST
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Beneficiaries wait to receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a government hospital amid fear of spread of 'Omicron variant' in Bengaluru, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. (PTI Photo)
With a view to curb the possible spread of highly transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus during the upcoming Assembly elections, the union health ministry, on Thursday, directed the states going in for elections in the near future to “exponentially ramp up vaccination” — especially in the “low coverage districts” to protect the vulnerable population.
On Thursday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, during the review meeting with all states, also raised a red flag that pockets with low vaccination coverage may be more vulnerable to the new Omicron variant — and that district administrations have to pay special attention to ramp up vaccination in these pockets. The directions by Bhushan came just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a meeting with states in the backdrop of the emergence of the Omicron variant.
The Thursday meeting with the states was also attended by AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria during which, the Centre, specifically, highlighted to the states that Omicron variant closely mimic common cold with a higher rate of transmissibility and doubling time — directing them to enforce minimum 14 days of restrictions in clusters reporting higher case positivity rates.
Bhushan asked the states to keep a close watch on the number of Omicron cases in new emerging clusters and initiate containment in these areas, including imposition of night curfews and ensure strict regulation of large gatherings, especially ahead of the forthcoming festivities.
The states were directed to ramp up RT-PCR to Rapid Antigen test ratio from 60:40 to 70:30, and, also to test all Severe Acute Respiratory Illness /Influenza-Like Illness, and, vulnerable and co-morbid people. “Any restriction must be enforced for a minimum of 14 days, they were advised. As syndromes of Omicron variant closely mimic common cold with a higher rate of transmissibility and doubling time, syndromic approach for Covid containment can be employed,” Bhushan told the states.
Bhushan, also highlighted that many have decommissioned Covid facilities established during the Delta surge — and that these states have to “keep an action plan ready for making these operational along with adequate availability of doctors and ambulance on call, in case there is a rise in Covid cases”.
On Thursday, the Centre, reiterated that districts impose local containment measures where the test positivity increases beyond 10 percent or occupancy of oxygenated beds increases beyond 40 percent. “However, based on the local situation and population characteristics such as density and keeping in mind the higher transmissibility of Omicron, States/UTs can undertake containment measures and impose restrictions even before these thresholds are reached,” Centre told the states.
Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health.
His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award.
Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time.
Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More
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